Machine for inserting filter plugs in cigarette tubes



H. GAMBLE May 20, 1952 MACHINE FOR INSERTING FILTER PLUGS IN CIGARETTE TUBES 14 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 27, 1950 May 20, 1952 I H. GAMBLE MACHINE FOR INSERTING FILTER PLUGS IN CIGARETTE TUBES Filed July 2'7, 1950 14 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor 7 yam 5A2 A Home H. GAMBLE May 20, 1952 MACHINE FOR INSERTING FILTER PLUGS IN CIGARETTE TUBES 14 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 2'7, 1950 Inventor 6490 40} a/rgZ/e H. GAMBLE May 20, 1952 MACHINE FOR INSERTING FILTER PLUGS IN CIGARETTE TUBES 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 27, 1950 Inventor 5 61 W/j QQ/WZ/e A ltorney MACHINE FOR INSERTING FILTER PLUGS IN CIGARETTE TUBES Filed July 27, 1950 H. GAMBLE May '20, 1952 14 Sheets-Sheet 6 F/GBA.

I n en or Ham/7 9255/6 W Attorney H. GAMBLE May 20, 1952 MACHINE FOR INSERTING FILTER PLUGS IN CIGARETTE TUBES l4 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed July 27, 1950 wwmw mm 3 Q Inventor Helm/ 0 Qami/e .mw mwi Attorney May 20, 1952 Filed July 27, 1950 H. GAMBLE 2,597,720

MACHINE FOR INSERTING FILTER PLUGS IN CIGARETTE TUBES 14 Sheets-Sheet 8 In venior Atlorsney May 20, 1952 H. GA MBL E 2,597,720

MACHINE FOR INSERTING FILTER PLUGS I N CIGARETTE TUBES Filed July 27, 1950 14 Sheets-Sheet 9 Inventor H. GAMBLE 2,597,720

S IN CIGARETTE TUBES May 20, 195% MAgHINE FOR INSERTING FILTER PLUG Filed July 27. 1950 14 Sheets-Sheet 1O Gem /e' Attorney H. GAMBLE May 20, 1952 MACHINE FOR INSERTING FILTER PLUGS IN CIGARETTE TUBES 14 Sheets-Sheet 11 Filed July 27 1950 Inventor HEJ 'a QamyZ/e Attorney M y 1952 H. GAMBLE 2,597,720

MACHINE FOR INSERTING FILTER PLUGS IN CIGARETTE TUBES Filed July 27, 1950 14 Sheets-Sheet 12 m N 9 g o J 9 a k 1K4 ILLLtJ Lk a In enior m heaw/ da g/e Attorney y ,1952 H. GAMBLE 2,597,720

MACHINE FOR INSERTING FILTER PLUGS IN CIGARETTE TUBES Filed July 2'7, 1950 14 Sheets-Sheet l3 Inventor- M 1952 H. GAMBLE 2,597,720

MACHINE FOR INSERTING FILTER PLUGS IN CIGARET'fE TUBES Filed July 27, 1950 I4 Sheets-Sheet 14 L l l I III, Z

' 2 r Inventor Heciw/ Gd/fiZ/e Attorney Patented May 20, 1952 MACHINE FOR INSERTING FILTER PLUGS IN CIGARETTE TUBES Hedwig Gamble, Ponders End, England Continuation of application Serial No. 544,020, July 8, 1944. This application July 27, 1950,

Serial No. 176,240

4 Claims.

Hitherto in the manufacture of filter tip cigarettes it has been customary to employ separate machines for performing the different operations entailed. Thus for example in some cases the cigarette rod has been made'and cut to length on one machine while filter tips of the absorbent wad type made by another machine are ultimately combined with the lengths of cigarette rod by means of a cork, cellulose, paper or similar wrapping on a third machine. Also it is known to employ one machine to make the paper tube complete with a filter tip and a second machine to fill such tubes with a length of tobacco rod. These known methods entailin the use of different machines necessitate frequent transfers of partly made components from one machine to another and each needs to be kept under close observation and stopped at intervals to change exhausted reels of paper, corp strip or like stock materials employed.

The primary object of the present invention is to improve the method of manufacture of filter tip cigarettes by combining together in an improved manner in a single machine, the various mechanism required in the manufacture of filter tip cigarettes and providing as a part of said machine an automatic conveyor mechanism for transferring the partly made cigarette from one operation stage to another. The invention discloses a machine for making filter tip cigarettes comprising paper tube maker, a filter Wad maker, means for inserting said wads into the ends of the paper tubes and means for conveying the paper tubes with inserted wads to a tobacco filling device which inserts tobacco into said paper tubes, the tobacco filling device being adapted to form the tobacco into a continuous rod which is advanced intermittently and cut into sections for insertion into the paper tubes. Since for the proper operation of the machine there must of necessity always be a number of paper tubes with filter wads either travelling to or awaiting treatment at the tobacco filling device and since the tube forming and filter makin devices require to be stopped occasionally to replenish paper supplies or to rectify irregularities it is preferred normally to drive the paper tube and filter making devices at a rate somewhat in excess of that of the tobacco filling devices and to provide in the drive system a speed changing mechanism whereby the rate of production of the paper tubes may be reduced occasionally when a surplus of paper tubes accumulates on the machine.

,The improved machine for making filter tip cigarettes and the method of operation are here- (Cl. sis-13 2, inafter more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein there is shown by way of example only a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention.

In these drawings:

Figures 1A and 1B together constitute a plan view of the machine with some parts broken away. The views join up by a conveyor band a part of which is shown broken in each figure.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of part of Figure 1A looking in the direction of the arrow A.

Figure 3 is a section of part of Figure 1A on the line 33.

Figure 4 is a section of Figure 1A on the line 4-4.

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of part of Figure 1A, showing details of a scissors device.

Figure 6 is a front elevation of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of Figure 5.

Figure 8A is an enlarged view of part of Figure 1A, partly broken away.

Figure 8B is an enlarged view of part of Figure 1A, partly in section.

Figure 9 is a section of a pusher shown in Figure 8, the section being on the line 99.

Figure 10 is an end elevation of a fragment of Figure 3 showing details of a worm drive.

Figure 11 is a section on the line H--I I, Figure 1B.

Figure 12 is an end elevation of part of Figure ll.

Figure 13 is an enlarged view of part of Figure 1A showing details of a feeding wheel device.

Figure 14 is a front elevation of Figure 13.

Figure 15 is a side elevation of a knife device shown in Figure 1A, the supporting bracket being broken away.

Figure 16 is a front elevation of the supporting bracket of Figure 15, looking from the left hand of that view.

Figure 17 is a section on the line ll-ll, Figure 1A, showing details of cam mechanism for operating a pusher.

Figure 18 is a section on the line l8-l8, Figure 1A, showing details of cam mechanism for operating a wad forming pusher.

Figure 19 is a section on the line l9l9, Figure 1A, showing details of cam mechanism for operating a wad pusher.

Figure 20 is a section on the line 20-20, Figure 1A, showing details of cam mechanism for ejecting a Wad into a spoon.

Figure2l is a view in the direction of the arrow B, Figure 1A, showing details of cam mechanism for operating a spoon.

Figure 22 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow C, Figure 13, showin mechanism for intermittently rotating a tape drum.

Figure 23 is a front elevation of a cutting knife and operating mechanism therefor looking in the direction of arrow D, Figure 1B, the parts being shown partly broken away in Figure 13 to expose other parts.

Figure 24 is a section of Figure IE on the line 24-425.

Figure 25 is a section of Figure IE on the line 25-25.

Figure 26 is a section of Figure IE on the line 2626, parts being broken awayto showinner parts.

Figure 27 is an enlarged view of a fragment of Figure 1A showing a clutch device.

This application is a continuation of appli- 'cation Serial vNo. 544,02il, filed July 8, 1944, now

'be described in detail consist of a paper tube maker, a filter wad maker, comprising a device for inserting the wads into the paper tubes, a conveyor for transferring the tubes containing their wads to a tobacco filling position and a tobacco feeding and rod forming mechanism comprising a. device for cutting the rod into sections and a device for inserting the sections of rod into the paper .tubes. Except for the paper tube maker and the conveyor for the tubes containing their wads, the machine moves intermittently and though this will be clear from the description of the driving mechanism which follows later, it will help in understanding the invention to state that one intermittent movement is made for each filter tip cigarette produced.

The paper tube maker is shown in Figures 1A and 2 and comprises a frame I on which is mounteda paper reel 2. The web of cigarette paper 3 from-this reel passes through printing, colouring, or bronzing devices 4 and thereafter past a paster 5 which applies adhesive to one edge of the web. The web then passes through a former 6 of circular cross section whereby it is formed into a tubular shape and the overlapping edges of the tube are sealed by a roller 1 which cooperates witha small I'Oller located inside the tube and'supported by a pivoted arm 8 provided with a balance weight 9. The sealed tube I 9 passes onwards to a cutting device comprising scissors H, see also Figures 5, 6 and 7, which are mounted on a bracket l2 arranged to be reciprocated in the direction of movement of the paper tube on a guide rod I3 under the action of a connecting rod I 4 driven by a crank disc I 5. A slide member I6, provided with two rods H, to engage levers It to operate the scissors and open them against a spring I9 is arranged to be actuated by a cam 20 for the purpose of operating the scissors as and when required as explained later. Just before a cigarette tube is cut from the end of the tube It], th leading end thereof passes onto a hollow tube or spoon 2| where the tube .receives a filter wad as will be explained in greater detail later, after which it is stripped-01f into one of a series of flutes or grooves in an intermittently rotating drum 22, moving at the rate iii) of 1 flute pitch per cigarette produced by the machine.

The frame i is mounted on the bed 23 of the machine and journalled in suitable bearings on this bed is a driving shaft 24 which is driven, as shown in Figure 1A, by bevel wheel gearing from a cross-shaft 25 which also drives the tube making devices supported on the frame I. The shaft 25 carries a large spur gear wheel 26 which engages with a smaller one 21, Figure 4, beneath the bed and fixed to the main driving shaft 28. On theshaft28 are two loose pulleys 29 and 3t and a single fast pulley 3|. Belts 32 and 33 may, alternatively, be put on the fast pulley by manipulating the belt forks shown, by a handle 34. The shaft 2 liscoup1ed to a secondary driving shaft 35 by even ratio chain and sprocket wheel gearing at 36, Figure 1A. The shafts 24 and 35 rotate once for each cigarette to be produced.

The filter wad maker is shown in Figures 1A, 3 and 8 and'comprises variouspieces of mechanism which are supported on the bed 23. At the side of the bed two reels of crepe paper 31 and 38 are mounted, the reel 37 being the running reel while the reel 38 is in reserve. The crepe web 39 passes along a guide or channel 40 to a feeding wheel 4! which pulls it from the reel 31. The leading end of theweb is engaged by a further feeding wheel 42 carried upon an oscillating arm &3.

The arrangement is best seen in Figures 13 and 14. The arm 43 is pivoted on a bracket 44 and ha an extensionarm 45 which has a roller at its end engaginga cam 46. The cam is fixed to a pulley t? which drives a smaller pulley 48 attached to the spindle of the wheel 42. Thus as the pulley 38 rotates, the wheel 42 is rotated and oscillated. The purpose of the oscillation is to enable the wheel 42 to engage out pieces of crepe paper and feed them onwards, as will be better understood later. The pulley 41 is driven from the shaft Stlby the gearing shown in Figure 1A at I48. Between the two wheels 4| and 42 is arranged a rotatable knife 49 which cooperates with a fixed knife 58 and operates to cut off a section of crepe of a suitable length to form a wad. Referring also to Figures 15 and 16 the knife 49 is fixed to a shaft 5| journalled in a bracket 52 fixed to the bed 23 and having a spiral gear wheel 53 at its other end. This wheel meshes with a similar gear wheel 54 fixed at one end of a shaft 55 also journalled in the bracket 52 and having a bevel gear wheel 56 at its other end. The wheel 56 meshes with another bevel gear Wheel 57 on a shaft 58 also journalled in the bracket 52 and driven by equal ratio bevel wheel gearing from the shaft 24 as shown in Figure 1A. Thus the knife 59 revolves once for each cigarette to be produced. A further bevel gear wheel 59 rotatable on a stub shaft fixed to the bracket 52 has a chain wheel fixed to it on which runs a chain 60 which also passes over a chain wheel fixed to a shaft 6| journalled in the bracket 52 and at the other end of which is fixed the feeding wheel 41. The wheel 41 rotates at such a rate as to feed a piece of crepe paper of the desired length for each revolution. The leading end of the web passes into a chamber 62, Figure 3, prior to the cutting. The end of the crepe web is engaged by the feeding wheel 42 just before the piece of crepe is out and as the wheel 42 feeds the cut portion into the chamber 62, it naturally crumples up the crepe as soon as the leading end thereof meets the far end of the chamber. This crumpling is indicated in Figure 3 by a wavy line.

'j Referring now chiefly to Figures 3, 8B, 17, 18, '19, 20 and 21 one side wall of the chamber 62 is formed by a side pusher 63 which is operated by a cam 64 on a camshaft 65 and pushes the cut piece of crepe across the chamber into an extension thereof marked 66 in Figures 813 and 17. One end wall 61-, Figure 18, of the chamber extension 66 is of" concave cross-section and the opposed Wall is formed by a concave-ended pusher 68 which is fixed on a bar 69 operated by a cam 'on the shaft 24. The arrangement is "shown best in Figure 18 from which figure it will alsobe seen that the cam 10 (shown broken in Figure 1A) oscillates a lever 11 which is connected to the rod 69 by a pin and slot device of usual construction. As the bar' 69 moves to the right, Figure 18, the strip of crepe is bunched or compressed into a wad of substantially cylindrical form.

The finished wad is ejected through a hole 12, Figure 19, in the far side of the chamber by a push-rod 13, operated by another cam 14 on the camshaft 65 and is pushed thereby into one of a series of holes in a disc which comprises a wormwheel or gear, intermittently driven by a worm 16 of the kind shown in Figure 3. In order to avoid danger due to possible jams, the rod 13 is coupled to its cam lever 11 by springs 18. The worm and wormwheel shown in Figures 3 and 10 are of special construction. The wheel has slots 19 on the same radii as the holes in the wheel disc and the worm has a part 80 of its thread of zero lead, so that although the worm rotates continuously, the wormwheel stops each time the part i 80 of the worm is passing through a slot 19. In this example the worm has 90 of circumference for the part of zero lead. The same general arrangement is used for the intermittently rotating drum 22 but in that case the wormwheel 8| is driven by a worm 32 having 270 of circumference l for its zero lead. Thus the drum is still for a long time and makes its intermittent movement very rapidly. It does not appear necessary to illustrate the drum and worm further than the showing in Figure 2, in view of this explanation.

As the disc 15 rotates carrying the wads, see Figure 3, the ends of the wads which ultimately constitute the ends of the corresponding cigarettes are trimmed square and to length by a rotatable disc knife 83. Further rotation of the disc 15 brings the wads one at a time into line with an ejector rod 84, see Figure 20, operated by a cam 85 on the camshaft B5 and this rod ejects the wads from the disc one at a time into the spoon '2 I.

The spoon 21 is carried on a rod 86, Figure 21,

reciprocated by a further cam 81 on the camshaft 65. All the rods 13, 84 and 86 move in a guide bracket 88. As the rod 36 moves and carries the spoon into contact with the disc 15, the ejector rod pushes a wad out of the hole in the disc which is then aligned with the spoon and after the latter has received the ejected wad it moves back and enters a flute of the drum 22 which is stationary at that time. The paper tube enters the same flute from the other end and as soon as the leading end of the tube has passed overthe spoon by about 12 millimetres, see Figure 8A, the tube is cut by the scissors I l which are at that moment moving substantially at the linear speed of the paper tube. V Thereupon the scissors, which travel at a variable speed because the crank disc 15 is driven by elliptical gears 90 as shown in Figure 7, rapidly push the cut piece of tube along the rest of the spoon and the instant this is done the spoon is withdrawn from the drum .6 flute. At the instant the scissors have finishe pushing the cut piece of tube along the flute and over the spoon they open and forthwith start to move back again as the crank disc 15 continues to rotate. 'It will be understood that the tube and spoon may be moving along the flute at the same time. That is at the moment the paper tube encounters the spoonboth may be moving towards one another. Thus no time is wasted. The cutting position is indicated on Figure 8A by a line X-Xand the end of the scissors travel by a line Y-Y. It will be seen that the forward end of the cut tube is flush with its end of the drum 22 and the rear end overhangs the drum,

the latter being rather shorter than the cut tube. As the spoon moves out of the flute it carries the tube a short distance until its ends overhang the drum by equal amounts, the tube then being exactly above a conveyor belt 89 which moves continuously beneath the drum. Continued movement of the spoon'towards the wheel 15 does not however move the tube any farther because a stripper blade 91, which enters a thin slot along the side of the spoon, engages the wad and tube and holds them still so that the spoon is withdrawn from the tube and leaves the wad inside it. Immediately the spoon is quite clear of the tube the drum 22 moves one flute pitch and the operations repeat. During these operations, from the time the scissors have cut the paper tube until the drum has made its movement of one pitch the paper tube has of course been continuing to advance at uniform speed but the time gained by the increased speed of movement of the cut piece of tube is sufficient to permit the recited operations to take place and the drum to move, before the tube starts to enter the next flute of the drum as the latter comes to rest. In order to prevent the stripper blade from displacing a wad as the spoon, carrying said wad, moves into the flute of the drum, the stripper is pivoted at 92 and held against a stop 93 by a spring 94, so that it can be rotated on its pivot to move the blade out of the way of the spoon. This movement is effected by the engagement of an abutment 91 on the spoon holder with a small pawl 95 on the stripper. As the spoon moves towards the fluted drum the abutment strikes the pawl but as this cannot move on its pivot because of a stop 96, the stripper is swung on its pivot. On the reverse movement of the spoon the pawl turns on its pivot, a torsion spring being provided to urge the pawl against the stop 95. These operations are performed on a tube located in a flute in the upper part of the drum and after further rotation of the drum the tube, complete with its wad, falls from the flute on to the conveyor band 89 which moves in the direction of the arrows Figures 1A and 1B and conveys the tubes in a row towards the tobacco filling device.

The tobacco feeding and rod forming mechanism may be of any suitable kind but as shown in Figure 1B is of the kind usually employed on continuous rod cigarette making machines and comprises a tobacco hopper I00 having suitable means for carding and combing the tobacco and delivering it as a shower at l0l on to an endless tape or band IE2 which moves intermittently in a trough H13 and conveys the tobacco in the direction of the arrow, during which movement it "azpaper tube carried by an intermittently rotated drum I05,- as will be explained in moredetail later, the tape' is driven intermittentlyand not continuously as in certain other known cigarette machines. For this purpose-the tape drum I 03 is driven by a ratchet wheel and pawl device. This is shown in Figure 22. A crank disc I01 is fixed on ashaft I08, which is also used as a camshaft, and a slotted link I09 is oscillated by rotation of the disc. A long link I I couples the slotted link to a leverI II which comprises an annular hub mounted on a disc II2 fixed on the shaft of the tape drum. Between the annular hub and the disc. is a" friction ratchet device of known construction, consisting of balls lodged in suitable grooves in the disc. Thus as the link I09 oscillates, the tape drum is intermittently moved.

The devices for introducing the tobacco rod into the paper tubes carried by the drum I are best seen in Figure 11 and include a slotted spoon H3 aligned with the delivered end of the tobacco rod, said spoon being mounted in a fixed position adjacent to'a rotating cutting-knife 'I I4. The end of the formed tobacco rod enters this spoon II3 by way of a guide tube I I5 and at approximately the sametime apaper tube II6 from the drum I05'is slidover the outside of said spoon by the action of a pusher rod II actuated by a cam H8 and advancing against the filter insert as shown. In Figure 11 the paper tube H6 is shown in section so that the wad II9'and spoon can be seen clearly. When a sufliciency of the tobacco rod for filling the cigarette has entered the spoon the rod is severed by the rotating disc knife H4. The knife II-4 is-supportedon a pivoted arm I the arm being freely mounted on a spindle I2I driven by chainandsprocket gearing I22 :at equal speed witha shaft I23 which is the main driving shaft of this partof the machine. A large gear wheel I24 rotates with the spindle I2I and drives the knife, asshownin Figure 23). The spindle also-has a cam I25 fixed on it so that once per revolution the arm I20 is moved on its pivot by the links I26 and-the knife moved'down to cut the tobacco rod and up again to clear it. Parts of this device are broken away in Figure 1B but its construction is clear from Figure 23). Immediately the out has been effected and the knife I'I4 has moved up a stripper pin I21 descends-and enters the slot in the spoon I I3 and then moves back towards the fluted drum carrying the filled cigarette off the spoon and leaving it once more in the appropriate flute in the drum I05. The movements are best followed from Figure 25. The pin is-flxed to the end of a slidable rod I28 which slides in a'guide tube I29 and is prevented from rotating therein by the guide I30. -A cam I3I moves the rod I28 to and'fro. The tube I29 is pivoted at I32 and swung up and down on its pivot bya link I33 coupled to a cam rod I34 which is moved up and down by a cam I35 formed on the periphery of the cam I3I.

Further rotation of the drum I05 eventually allows the finished filter tip cigarette to fall on to a delivery band I35 moving in the direction ofthe arrow, Figure 1B.

In order to ensure that the tubes containing the filter wads are transported in a spaced and orderly manner by the conveyor band 89 to the drum I05, means may be provided to ensure true parallel alignment of said tubes with the drum axis; This means, as shown in Figure 1B and in'more detail in Figure 26, comprises a platform or' plate I31 reciprocated as indicated by the double headed arrow, Figure 1B, which by its movement straightens any tubes which may be approaching otherwise than transversely. to the conveyor. Referring to Figure 26 it will :be seen that the plate I3! is slidable in guide blocks I30 and reciprocated by a cam I39 and a spring I40. This view also shows how the belts 89 and I30 are driven from the main shaft I2 3. It also illustrates the drive to the drum I05, this being the same sort of device as for the disc I5, and the drives for the two belt conveyors.

In order to ensure an adequate supply of paper tubes with filter inserts in the hopper of the filling mechanism despite temporary stoppages for the changing of paper reels it is preferred to arrange for the output of thetube making mechanism to exceed slightly that of the tobacco filling mechanism but means may also be provided whereby the speed of the tube making mechanism may be reduced occasionally when required, as when the supply of tubes in the hopper is excessive.

Aconvenient method of effecting the necessary speed changes is shown in Figure 1A. The tobacco rod forming and filling mechanism is all driven from the main shaft I23. This shaft may be driven by a pulley or motor (not shown) on the end of the shaft beyond the tobacco hopper. The paper tube maker, filter wad maker and the assembly devices therefor are all driven from the pulley 3| having a two speed belt drive by the belts 33 and 32. The belt 33 runs faster than 32. The handle 34 operates the belt forks by the transmission shown in Figure 1A. A clutch I4I operated by a handle I42 is provided to enable the production of wads to be stopped when required, as may be necessary if irregularities in performance are to be rectified or when it is desired merely to produce plain cigarettes. The device will be clear from Figure 27 from which it will be seen that the clutch is slidable on the shaft 24 and spined thereto andthat the neighbouring bevel gear wheel, which comprises the other half of the clutch, is freely rotatable on the shaft 24. When the clutch is engaged the crepe feeding wheel is driven, so when theclutch is out no crepe is fed and the other wad making mechanisms driven by the main shaft merely move idly.

I claim:

1. Mechanism for'forming filter tip cigarettes, comprising two co-axially arranged, axially spaced rotatable bodies, one of said bodies being of cylindrical form and having a plurality of axially extending flutes, the other body having a plurality of chambers arranged to 'be successively co-axially aligned with one of said flutes, means for imparting step by step rotation to the bodies whereby one of said "chambers and one of said flutes may be momentarily stopped in co-axial relation, a paper tube forming means disposed upon the opposite side of the said one body from the other body and positioned to be aligned with the said one flute, filter plug forming means, means forintroducing the filter plugs as formed into said chambers, a spoon disposed between the said rotatable bodies in line with the said one flute and a chamber, means for transferring a plug to the spoon from the chamber aligned therewith, means for moving the spoon and plug carried thereby into 'thesaid one flute and into the paper tub'esupported therein and subsequently retracting the spoon, and means for stripping the paper tube and the plug from the spoon upon retraction of the spoon.

2. Mechanism of'the character stated in claim 1, with cutting means disposed upon the opposite end of the fluted cylinder from the chambered body for cutting the paper tube transversely.

the cylinder at the end thereof remote from the tube forming means, said disc having a plurality of openings formed therethrough in position to be brought successively in alignment with one of said flutes when in the said one position, means for imparting step by step rotation to the disc, mechanism adjacent to the disc for crumpling and forming into a cylindrical plug paper material adapted to form a filter, means for transferring the plugs as formed into the disc openings, a tubular spoon supported between the disc and cylinder in alignment with the paper tube forming means for reciprocable axial movement, the spoon being arranged to move into one of said flutes when brought into the stated one position, means for imparting back and forth movement to the spoon, meansjor transferring a filter plug from the disc into the spoon, and a stripper pawl disposed adjacent to the spoon for removing a, plug and cigarette tube therefrom upon movement of the spoon away from the cylinder, the spoon in moving forwardly toward the cylinder being adapted to enter the advancing end of a tube in one of said flutes.

4. Mechanism of the character stated in claim 3, in which said cigarette tube forming means is designed to form a continuous tube from a ribbon of cigarette paper, and means disposed at the end of the fluted cylinder remote from said disc for severing the tube and thereafter continuing the movement of the cut portion over the spoon to secure the introduction of the filter plug in the advancing end thereof.

HEDWIG GAMBLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,906,798 Lerner May 2, 1933 2,005,661 Muller June 18, 1935 2,105,412 Edwards Jan. 11, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 26,981 Great Britain of 1903 373,325 Great Britain May 26, 1932 390,735 Great Britain Apr. 13, 1933 

